Teflon Removal

Hello all.
I haven't been in here in a very long time, but I'll start off by saying thanks for all the cleaning/restoring info on this site. I've salvaged a few pieces of cast from garage sales and thrift stores thanks to the knowledge shared here.

My most recent finds were three enameled cast (2 LeCreuset and 1 Cousance), the Cousance has an amazing seasoned interior and one of the LeCreusets has their classic enameled interior. The third piece is what brings me here today.

It WAS Teflon coated.
(It's marked "CASTOFLON" on the bottom.)

It was well abused when I got it; lots of rust and flaking bits of teflon. I decided to remove the Teflon and season the raw cast iron. After some research into Teflon removal, I decided on wet-sanding and steel wool. It started off looking good, but once I began to season it I realized the interior wasn't the usual raw cast iron color; it was more of a grey-ish color and it does not seem to be taking the season.

I'm trying to figure out now if this discoloration is a residue from my cleaning efforts, perhaps something from the sand paper or steel wool? And if so, any ideas on how to remove that?
Or is there a layer or coating that was between the raw cast iron and the teflon?

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks

The other two pieces, just to show off

Might be the same clear glazing as on the bottom.

Doug D. said:

Might be the same clear glazing as on the bottom.

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The shiny on the bottom is just a coat of oil; the pics were taken mid-seasoning. The bottom is raw cast and it cleaned up similarly to other pieces I've stripped in the past. I was hoping the two pictures would show the contrast between the off-color of the inside the pan and what I was expecting it to look like.

MY SWAG is that the teflon coating had a bonding agent that went down into the pores of the cast iron. You removed the teflon, but not enough cast iron to remove the affects of that agent. Although that agent worked with the teflon - think silicone glue - it does not want to work with normal seasoning and rejects it like a silicone spray would.

If there is such a thing I’d look for a chemical to neutralize the silicone (?) or sand off a few more thousandths of CI to get down to clean metal; all the while wondering if there was an agent in the iron to help the ceramic coating and the teflon stick. Actually, I’d probably let it go.

Hilditch

I'm leaning towards the "second coating" theory as well. It seems very even and smooth, and there are some ware spots around the edge between it and the outer enamel that look more like raw cast.

Since it is even and smooth, I don't think my sandpaper or steel wool did anything to it. So further removal would likely require something more substantial.

"Let it go" might be the next step.

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:57 PM ----------

After an attempt at seasoning it and letting it cool, the oil has beaded up on the interior and left sticky spots similar to what happens to oil on the regular enameled cast. So, its another coating.

The question now, is that coating food safe?

Anywhere you see "bare iron" on a Le Creuset piece is coated with a clear glaze. It isn't shiny. It's why the bottoms, top edges, and the rims on the bottoms of lids don't rust. Unless the glaze has been worn off. It is possible the same glaze was applied to the interior of the pan as well.

Doug D. said:

Anywhere you see "bare iron" on a Le Creuset piece is coated with a clear glaze. It isn't shiny. It's why the bottoms, top edges, and the rims on the bottoms of lids don't rust. Unless the glaze has been worn off. It is possible the same glaze was applied to the interior of the pan as well.

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Did not know that.

It might be something similar to that.

It sounds like this may be a good candidate for sandblasting, if the idea is to make it a useable piece.

Just an example: Last week I bought an enameled CI spoon rest. It had no makers marks, The enamel was 20% gone, and rusty. I bought it with the intention of blasting it. I had to break the enamel surface with 36 grit paper then blasted it with a medium grit sand. It seasoned very well and looks great on my stovetop.

Don't get me wrong, after some education from the guys on this site, I wouldn't blast a good piece. But it sounds like this piece is getting close to the recycle pile, so maybe check out blasting. Tony

Tony.

What kind of sandblasting equipment do you use? I have some wrot iron chairs which I got a price to sandblast and I was looking to buy something to do it myself.

Tony Gilliam said:

It sounds like this may be a good candidate for sandblasting, if the idea is to make it a useable piece.

Just an example: Last week I bought an enameled CI spoon rest. It had no makers marks, The enamel was 20% gone, and rusty. I bought it with the intention of blasting it. I had to break the enamel surface with 36 grit paper then blasted it with a medium grit sand. It seasoned very well and looks great on my stovetop.

Don't get me wrong, after some education from the guys on this site, I wouldn't blast a good piece. But it sounds like this piece is getting close to the recycle pile, so maybe check out blasting. Tony

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I might end up going that route. The piece is in great shape though, and I'd prefer to not mess up the outside enamel. Is it possible to mask off the rest of the piece and only blast the inside?

Mark H. I have a blast cabinet from Harbor Freight. Its large enough to blast car rims, but I don't think chairs will fit. My air supply is 6 hp. 120 gallon. They make a pot blaster that would work for the chairs but it doesn't recycle the sand like the cabinet does. Well placed tarps and a broom should allow you to use less sand.
Tony

---------- Post added at 01:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:46 AM ----------

TRBrooks said:

I might end up going that route. The piece is in great shape though, and I'd prefer to not mess up the outside enamel. Is it possible to mask off the rest of the piece and only blast the inside?

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Multiple layers of duct tape.
Tony

Tony Gilliam said:

Mark H. I have a blast cabinet from Harbor Freight. Its large enough to blast car rims, but I don't think chairs will fit. My air supply is 6 hp. 120 gallon. They make a pot blaster that would work for the chairs but it doesn't recycle the sand like the cabinet does. Well placed tarps and a broom should allow you to use less sand.
Tony

---------- Post added at 01:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:46 AM ----------



Multiple layers of duct tape.
Tony

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Ha!
I was expecting some in depth, technical mumbo-jumbo. I love it when the solution is easy (and/or duct tape).

Much appreciated.
Off to pester my mechanic for some time with his blaster box.
I'll update when I get this finished up.